Netherlands expels Eritrea’s ambassador

The Eritrean ambassador to the Netherlands Tekeste Ghebremedhin Zemuy has been declared a person non-grata and asked to leave the country.

A letter signed by the Dutch minister of foreign affairs outlined the reasons for the severe diplomatic penalty.

The exceptional decision relates to a broadcast on the Dutch Argos radio programme last month, which said Eritrean refugees were being forced to pay a diaspora tax in order to access consular services at the Eritrean embassy in The Hague.

According the Dutch foreign minister Halbe Zijlstra’s letter to parliament, concerns were raised with the ambassador, but there were signs of continued intimidation and coercion of the Eritrean community.

While there is currently no evidence the Eritrean embassy has done anything unlawful, the Dutch cabinet wanted to send a strong signal that it will not tolerate these practices.